Malicious Reality
by bitchy brunette
Summary: My spin on the AU from "The Wish"
1. Prophecies Revealed

Title: Malicious Reality CH 1 (Prophecy Revealed)   
Summary: What if the world in "Dopplegangland" was the only reality?   
Archive: ff.net  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I stole this idea from Joss, which is actually a lot less than I can claim for the other stories.   
Comments: Yes, I realize that that world already lost Willow and Buffy and Angel, but I wanted to make it fun. I had no idea what the big guy's name was. I know they said it in a different episode, but I didn't catch it, so I named him. I did that with the chick, too.   
Feedback: kimmie@e-mailanywhere.com  
  
  
  
  
  
Oz grabbed Willow's waist, slamming her into a sharp point of wood from a splintered holding cell. "Ooh. Missed my heart." Willow ripped herself from the makeshift stake and grabbed Oz's hair to expose his neck.   
Something slammed into the back of her head, and she slumped to the floor, unconscious. All around them the battle raged. Vampires exploded in clouds of dust, but still many bodies littered the floor. Buffy whirled around, the dust still flying from her last kill just in time to see the Master slip out the back entrance with a few minions. She looked around, and saw Angel fighting at least two more vampires than he could take. Frowning, she ran off to his aid. "Behind you." She called out, ducking the blow of one of the vamps.  
Angel turned, slamming the stake into its chest, and exchanged blows with the last standing vampire. He punched it, and as the vamp's head turned and its arms flung out, he sent his stake home. Another explosion of dust littered the floor, slippery with blood and vampire remains. Buffy flinched as she saw one of Giles's assistants slammed into a wall, not moving. Vampires closed in from ever corner. The odds now looked very bad. Buffy got into fighting stance as a group of vampires split off the main group and headed towards her. Angel grabbed her arm just as they were getting close, and dragged her out a nearby exit, merely knocking enemies down if they tried to stop him. "What the hell are you doing? We have to get back inside." Buffy told him, confusion and anger in her voice.   
"There were too many of them. Do you want to die?" Angel shifted, feeling blood trickle down his abdomen.   
He must've torn one of the still healing burn marks on his chest during the fight. His face contorted into a grimace of pain as she was responding. "Hey, it's in the job description- What's wrong?" The concern in her own voice made her step back.   
Angel looked up at her, the world swimming around in his head. "You have to get out of here. I can't-" He passed out, the darkness finally taking him into its clutches.  
  
**  
  
Giles, Oz, and Hannah climbed into the car, wielding crosses at the vampires that chased. "That was too close." Oz observed, leaning back in the seat to examine a wound on his arm.   
"Yeah. And they god James. Goddamn it. That's one more we've lost. If it keeps going like this, there won't be anything stopping the Master from destroying this entire town, and all the people who live here. We didn't shut down the factory. All we did is lose. All we ever do is lose." Her voice was bitter.   
"No. We managed to dent the forces. I've no doubt that the assembled group was most of the vampires in Sunnydale. And now that Buffy is here-"   
"What? She can run away like the rest of us? I didn't see her around the last part of that fight." Oz shook his head.   
"She was there. That guy, the vampire, he took her." Giles looked back at Oz in the mirror, resisting the urge to slam on the brakes.  
"What? A vampire took her?" Oz thought for a minute.   
"It was really getting bad. Most of the humans in the cage with James and I were gone. The remaining vamps all surrounded them. The vampire, he was fighting with Buffy, though, I think."   
"What do you mean 'you think'? It is imperative that Buffy stays out of harm. She is the best chance we have of shaking the grip of the Master. Buffy can shut down the factory!" Oz shrugged, flinching in pain when he realized that wasn't a smart thing to do with a gash on your arm.   
"It was tough watching them when I was fighting the vamps off." Giles sighed.  
"Yes. You're probably right. Well, if you say the vampire that kidnapped her, essentially, was fighting on our side, she may be all right." He said, mostly to assure himself that summoning her wasn't a mistake.   
"What do we do now?" Hannah asked, ripping a bandage off the roll they kept in the car.   
Oz gritted his teeth as she wrapped the anesthetic-covered bandage around his sliced arm. "Wait for them to come to us." Oz suggested, nodding at Hannah as a sign of thanks.   
Giles shut off the engine. The three inhabitants of the car climbed out, hurrying inside to the school library. Giles fumbled with his response. "Uh, yes. The only thing we can do is wait. But I suggest researching to find something about the vampire that assisted Buffy. And perhaps we can find any prophecies concerning our current Slayer." Hannah and Oz moved to the stacks promptly, and Giles pulled out a thick, dusty book from under his shelf.   
"Oz, describe the vampire, please." Giles called to him, knowing that the most notorious vampires would be depicted in the Watcher's Diaries.   
If he could prove to himself that this vampire wasn't well known, he might be able to research the prophecies with a lighter heart. "Uh, he was pretty tall, with brown hair. I think his eyes were dark, too, but I can't be sure. I was far away." Giles took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.   
"Can you be any more specific? Was there anything else you noticed about him?" Oz's brow furrowed as he thought.   
"Yeah, actually there was something. That vampire who's the Master's right hand? Willow Rosenberg?"  
"Yes. Go on." Giles was looking slightly green.   
He didn't want to know that Buffy's kidnapper was in league with the Master. "She called him 'Puppy', or something." Giles and Hannah looked at Oz like he'd grown a third eye.   
"What? When did you hear this?"   
"When the guy and Buffy first came in, he went to free us from the cage, and I was standing right by the platform she was on. I heard her say, 'Oh no. Puppy got free.', or something like that." Giles's eyes widened.   
"Oh no. I think this could be devastating news." Hannah turned to face Giles.   
"What do you mean? Does that pet name mean anything?" Giles's hands shook as he hurriedly pulled open the book.   
He beckoned to Hannah and Oz. "You two may as well know the story." Giles pointed to a picture of a man on the page, dressed in very old clothing.   
"Yeah, that's him." Oz nodded in confirmation.   
"That's what I was afraid of. Buffy is now in the hands of one of the most ruthless vampires in the entire world. They called him The Scourge of Europe. A title very well earned. He terrorized entire towns, killed thousands of people, and has killed four Slayers to date. There, there may be some hope, however." Hannah looked at Giles, surprise on her features.   
"You just told us Buffy has been abducted by this terrible vampire and now that's hope? We'll be lucky if she isn't already dead! And we can't do anything, if she is alive. Were three humans against this guy? I don't like those odds. He's sure to already have told the Master he's bagged the Slayer." Giles shook his head.   
"You see, Angelus, that's his name, has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. He hasn't been heard from or seen in over one hundred years."   
"Well this is just a great time for him to make an appearance, isn't it?" Hannah persisted, throwing down her book.   
"We- we just need to think about this a little longer." Giles pleaded, feeling uncontrollably helpless.   
"Giles is right." Oz supplied, setting down the stack of books he'd thought would be useful.   
"Just because he's been MIA for a couple of years doesn't make him safe. For all we know, this could be another part to the Master's grand scheme. He could've had this guy pretend to be Buffy's ally. Then, when she least expects it, he nabs her and takes her to the factory, only this time he's holding her down on that human processing conveyor belt instead of coming to her rescue. We don't even know what this Buffy chick is like. She could be a total sap, and buy into this jerk's story."   
"That could be true. But all we can do now is hope it isn't." Giles told them grimly.   
"And in the meantime, we can continue our research. If Buffy is in fact-" Giles found his voice to have left him, "Dead, than we should help the newest Slayer by doing all the research we can to aid her."   
Satisfied with his explanation, Hannah and Oz sat down at the table, each opening a book.   
  
**  
"Buffy?" Angel opened his eyes.   
The pain burning in his chest seemed to have completely disappeared. But Buffy was no where to be found. Angel slowly rose from the bed, groaning at the soreness of his body. "It must've been a dream." Angel wanted to laugh at the idea that the thing he'd been waiting for all this time had suddenly shown up and rescued him.   
But he couldn't bring himself to laugh. Slowly, he stood up, cursing the pain, which came shooting back through his chest. And then there she was, standing in the doorway. "Lie back down." She ordered, carrying a bottle of whiskey and a roll of gauze.   
"Buffy." She looked at him strangely before coming over and standing by the bed.   
"Lay down or I'll make you." Buffy threatened, setting the objects on the hotel's bedside table.   
Angel felt relieved as he fell back down on the bed. When was the last time he'd slept on a real mattress? "Drink this." Buffy held the bottle out to him.   
Angel looked at her like she was crazy. "This is going to hurt like hell. I suggest you get good and drunk so it won't even be a memory." Angel thought for a moment, considering the options.   
He chugged down the liquor, savoring the feeling of fire searing down his throat. Buffy smiled wryly. Angel handed her the bottle, and she moved onto the bed. "Don't get the wrong idea." She warned him, straddling his hips.   
"Too late." Buffy had to force herself not to laugh at his obvious drunkenness.   
"Try to hold still." Angel grinned at her.  
Buffy held down his torso with one hand while she poured the alcohol onto the ugly, puckered lesions marring his chest. Angel gritted his teeth, holding back a roar of pain. Buffy set the bottle back on the table. "Can you sit up?"   
Angel slowly rose, Buffy supporting him. "Take off your shirt." The offending article of clothing was torn in at least three places and now was soaked in whiskey.   
"No problem." Angel fumbled with it, and Buffy ended up having to take it off.   
Buffy wrapped the bandages tightly over one shoulder and under one arm. When the wounds were completely wrapped up, she tore the dressing and tied it tightly. Angel slumped back down into the pillows. "How'd I get here?" His words were still slightly slurred, but Buffy knew he'd be out of it in a minute or two.   
"How do you think? I brought you. Now do you wanna explain what you were babbling about when I broke you out of that cage in the Master's hideout? And why you're a vampire with a good streak?"   
"I don't have a good streak. I have a soul." Buffy raised one eyebrow. "It's a curse from the Kalderash people of Romania. I killed their tribe's favorite daughter. In return, they punished me with a soul. I remembered everything I'd done without it, and had decades of guilt. I couldn't take it, so I left Europe and came here."   
"To Sunnydale?"   
"No, to New York. A demon found me there, sleeping in an alley. I lived off rats when I did eat. I was miserable, filthy- a waste of space. A demon came, said the Powers sent him. I didn't believe him until he showed me something. He asked me if I wanted to make a difference, if I wanted to help someone. Whistler showed me you. I saw you called in LA. I knew I wanted to help you. He told me to go to Sunnydale and wait for you. I did; I waited, but you never came. Then the Master rose, and when a group of do-gooders raided the Bronze to try and take him out, I was caught. They killed everyone else, but kept me down there, just like you saw."   
"How long had you been there?" When she saw the look on Angel's face, she realized she didn't want to know.   
"Almost two years, I think." Buffy just sat there, angry she was beginning to feel something for someone who claimed so much.   
"I don't believe you." She told him stiffly. "You couldn't have seen me called."   
"I did. I ca tell you what you were wearing, how you had your hair." Buffy stared at him.   
"Fine, maybe you did see all of that. But why would you be told the wrong city? I moved from LA to Cleveland. If the Powers sent you, how could they make a mistake?" Angel shrugged.  
"I don't know. I guess I thought the same thing, and that's why I stayed here." Buffy scoffed.   
"Other than the fact that you were chained up in a cell for all that time?" Angel looked at her.   
"I meant stayed alive. There was a tiny window up in the top of the cell. Every day it'd let in enough light for me to end it. I had to wait. I wanted to help you." Buffy glared at him like he was an idiot.   
She stood up from her chair. "You're an idiot. You don't even know me; you saw me one day and you let them do that to you? Every day you just sat there and let it happen, hoping that I'd show up? What if I hadn't, and you were stuck down there forever, you fucking moron? I am not worth that, ok?" Angel stood, and grabbed her arms.  
"I had to take that chance." His voice was so quiet; she could barely hear it.   
Buffy tried to free herself. "I don't get it." Angel just stared at her.   
"Maybe you never will." Buffy frowned.   
Angel let go of her, and returned to the bed. "Now you can tell me about you." Buffy stiffly sat in her chair.   
"There's nothing to tell. I'm the Slayer, that's it." Angel grinned.   
"I find it hard to believe that your entire life story can be summed up in one sentence." Buffy glared at him.   
"I don't think I like you." Angel returned her look with a smile.   
"That's fine. I was beginning to think the same thing about you." Buffy sighed.   
"What do you want to know?"   
"Why Cleveland? Do you go to school there? Who's your watcher, and how bad is your city's night population?"   
"You've been dying for this part, haven't you?"   
"I had a lot of time to think about you for the past two years." Buffy's light smile disappeared.   
"Cleveland isn't as bad as this town, that's for sure. My Watcher's name is Jenny. She's fine, as Watcher's go, I guess."   
"Isn't she your only watcher?" Buffy recoiled.   
"Yeah. I had one in LA, but he died. That's what I meant." Angel studied her face.   
"Um, I do go to school, sort of. I'm enrolled, but I don't really have much time. During the day I try to raid clusters I know about."   
"What does your mom have to say about that?" Buffy looked at him strangely.   
"My mom's dead. She died right after we moved." Angel looked concerned.   
"You shouldn't have to live on your own. What about your dad?" Buffy sighed.   
"He lives in LA. I guess people would say he was the better parent, but mom got custody because he has to go on all these business trips. He's gone a week out of every month. I've been slaying for three years, and she never even noticed all the blood on my clothes, how long I was gone, why I got in so much trouble at school. I've been on my own since she died, and I like it. Now I don't have to worry about the school calling my house or report cards or sneaking out at night to patrol."   
"You don't sound like you enjoy it." Buffy's eyes seemed to flash.  
"Do you know of anyone that enjoys life? Yeah, well my particular life has major suck factors, but I deal."   
"Don't you like doing anything? Hobbies?" Angel fished for some sign of vigor in her.   
"Yeah." Angel smiled, thinking he'd finally hit a cord with her. "I like kicking vampire ass. Blows off a lot of steam."   
Angel's smile fell. "Right. Maybe you'd better get some sleep." Buffy shrugged.   
"I've gone without before. Why should I sleep unless I'm tired?" Angel shifted against the pillows.   
"We've got work to do tomorrow." Angel informed her.   
"What kind of work? Are we going back to the factory?" Angel looked at Buffy, trying to place something he could swear was missing from the first time he'd seen her.   
"No. We have to find someone to help us before we go back to the plant." Buffy frowned.   
"Who's going to help us?"   
"I'll find someone." He promised.   
Angel was going to ignore the questioning nagging at him, but it slipped out. "What changed?"   
Buffy looked at him, defenses up. "What do you mean?"   
"When I saw you before, you were so- happy, so full of life." Angel reached out to trace Buffy's jawbone.   
She pulled back. "How can it all have disappeared?" Buffy thought for a moment before looking back up at him.   
"Death. Everything was so twisted when I learned about vampires, my whole world kind of crumbled. I had to look at everything twice to make sure it was real. My parents finally got a divorce, and all my friends died. I was kicked out of school, and then they killed my mother. Everyone I used to love, they were all taken because the vampires couldn't get to me any other way. Finally, Jenny was killed, too." The words she hadn't said hung in the air.   
'It's all my fault.' Angel couldn't believe that that Buffy was now the one sitting before him. Buffy turned away to avoid Angel's intense scrutiny. "Toss me a pillow, would you?"   
"There's plenty of room up here." He responded, sliding under the thin covers.   
Buffy stood up. "Can I trust you?"   
"No. But I can tell you that you don't have to worry." Buffy thought about this for a minute.   
Finally, she turned off the lights and lay down. Just as Angel was drifting off, Buffy's voice awakened him. "Goodnight Angel."   
"Night."   
  
**  
  
Lights slid over the dance floor, and the music throbbed. People crowded the floor, twisting and undulating in time with the song. Buffy was desperately trying to get through. There was no way out, though. All the people stopped dancing. They turned to her, skin hanging off their faces in random stages of decay. "You killed us." The music turned to screams.   
The many faces of her friends, her family were accusing, angry. They turned on her, closing in. Their hands were outstretched, and clawed at her hair and eyes. "You killed us, you killed us." The voices raised in volume and number.   
Buffy screamed, holding up her arms to cover her head. "Stop! Stop it!" Suddenly, everyone was gone.   
When Buffy looked up, Angel stood in front of her. "What are you doing here?" She asked, tears running down her face.   
Angel didn't answer. He held out his arms, and Buffy felt comforted when she ran to him. His arms wrapped around her waist, protecting her from harm. Music started again, only it was slow, beautiful. Something about wild horses, and leaving. Leaving... Buffy looked up at Angel, and she knew that something was wrong. "Why are you leaving me?"   
Buffy didn't know what she was talking about, but once the words were said, they were right. "I have to go."   
Tears threatened to spill again. "No! Angel, don't leave me!" Buffy sat up with a start.   
Angel was awake. "Shh, it's ok." Buffy felt so stupid.   
She felt hot tears streak down her face. "God, it was so real-"   
"You had a nightmare?" Angel asked, reaching out.   
"Yeah. I get them a lot." Buffy confessed.  
Angel felt the bed shaking. "You're trembling." Buffy was indignant.  
"It was a nightmare." Her voice cracked.   
Buffy nearly had a heart attack when Angel stroked her hair away from her face and took her into his arms, lying back down. "It's going to be ok. You aren't alone anymore." Buffy knew he couldn't promise anything, but hearing them said was enough.   
Buffy felt ridiculous, taking comfort from some guy she hardly knew, but for now, Buffy needed something reassuring.  
When Angel woke up, the sun was just setting, and the light behind the motel curtains was fading fast. He smiled down at Buffy, curled up next to him, one arm over his chest. "Buffy, wake up." One of her eyes slowly opened.   
"The sun's setting already, isn't it?" Angel nodded.   
Buffy dragged herself out of bed. "Where are we going to find these people who are going to help us?" She asked, heading to the bathroom to clean herself up as well as she could manage.   
"I'm not sure. But I do know who to ask." Half an hour later, they were at a skeezy bar at the edge of town.   
"Willie's?" Buffy asked, surveying the outside.  
"He knows a little more than he'd like to admit. Or he did when I last knew him." Angel told her, leading the way inside the darkened interior.   
A few demons were inside, and they took no notice of Angel or Buffy. Willie was at the bar, looking smug. "Angel. Long time, no see. What you been up to?"   
"You know where I've been. I'm just looking for a little info. I keep hearing about some humans that fight the Master's kind. You know where I can find them?" Willow shrugged.   
"Gonna cost ya." Angel studied the outstretched hand for a minute.   
"How bout I just don't kick your ass in return for the info?" Buffy put in, yawning tiredly.   
"Who's the little lady?" Willie leered at Buffy, who looked disgusted.   
Buffy's hand was like lightning, and before Angel could stop her, it was wrapped around Willie's throat. "Don't look at me, don't touch me, and don't talk to me. Are we understood?" Willie grunted something, and tried to nod.   
"Good. Now my friend asked you a question. Are you going to answer, or am I going to get to have my way?" Willie nodded again.  
Buffy slowly released his throat. Willie rubbed the sore area. "That's gonna bruise." He muttered to himself. "I should've known you'd never go for the measly little girl types."   
Willie told Angel. "I got a location. They spelled it, though, and now no vamps can go in."   
"Doesn't matter. I need the address."   
"The old high school's library." Angel frowned.   
"You mean Sunnydale High? Isn't it just rubble from the mayor's ascension?" Willie nodded.   
"Only building left standing was the library. That's where they meet." Angel and Buffy left Willie rubbing the red mark spreading on his throat and cursing the two of them.   
  
**  
  
Buffy stood at the door of the library, looking unimpressed. At Angel's urgings, she had knocked on the door and was waiting. "Is anyone in there?" She called, knocking again.   
Buffy walked back to Angel. "Guess they're gone, then." The door opened, and Giles's face peered out.   
"Buffy?" He called, looking about.   
"Here. Wanna let us in?" Buffy asked him.   
"Is Angelus with you?" Buffy looked at Angel.   
"Angelus?"   
"Yeah. Angel's like a nickname." He explained.   
Giles jumped out of the library, shoving his large cross in Angel's face. "Back, foul demon!"   
Angel recoiled, stepping backwards. Buffy knocked the cross out of his hands. "What are you doing?" She asked, catching the cross midair.   
"This vampire is evil. He's known throughout the world as the Scourge of Europe. Get away from him, Buffy!"   
"Angel helped us fight them last night at the plant. And he had plenty of time to kill me this morning, but he didn't." Buffy turned to Angel.   
"You never told me you had such a colorful past." Angel couldn't meet her eyes.  
"I told you I'd done terrible things." Giles looked at Angel strangely.   
"How is it that you've come to that realization?" Angel looked so worn out, that Buffy stepped in.   
"Listen, we're tired. Can we come in and talk?" Giles invited them in, and Buffy led Angel to the couch, where he lay down.   
"I knew I should've changed these this morning." Buffy chided herself, taking off Angel's shirt to reveal darkened gauze.   
"Do you have any-" Oz handed her a roll and a bottle of peroxide.   
Buffy dampened the fresh bandage with the liquid and re-wrapped up the lacerations. "-And so they gave him a soul." Buffy finished as she tied up the wound.   
"Now that you've asked all these questions, it's my turn. Why did you call me here?"   
"We needed help. The news of the plant can't get out into other cities. If they were all to open things like this..." Giles trailed off, not wanting to think about the consequences of that.   
"I can see how that would be not good." Buffy agreed, watching Angel sit up.  
"We need a plan. It may be possible to close down the plant. Tomorrow night less vampires will be showing up, and security won't be such a problem. Here's what I'm thinking-" Angel drew a quick sketch of the plant.   
"Here's the main entrance. There are side exits here, and the exit in the rear. This is the holding cell, guarded by, say, two of the vamps. One guard is posted at each exit, and there are two with the Master at all times. We sneak in through this side door, taking out the guard as quietly as possible. You guys-" Angel pointed to Hannah, Oz, and Giles, "Should be able to take out the two watching the cage. Free the people, and split them into three groups, one of you with each. All of you head out different exits, and take out the guard as you leave, so Buffy and I won't have to deal with them. While this is going on, the Master is going to want to leave so he won't be harmed. They'll head out the back exit, the only one you guys won't be using. Buffy and I will be waiting for them." All of them looked at Angel with awe.   
"Did you just think of that?" Hannah asked.  
"I'd been thinking of a plan since I made Buffy run last night." Angel admitted, looking back at the crude sketch one last time.   
"Do you have it all down?" Angel asked Oz and Giles.   
"Yes. Now all we have to do is weapon detail." Buffy looked at Oz.   
"Weapon detail?" Oz showed them the room, lined with bottles of holy water, pre-sharpened stakes, large wooden crosses, swords, and cross bows.   
"Yeah. We check out weapons and spar with them." Buffy wasn't listening.   
She was already enthralled with the shelves' contents. Angel followed her inside, taking a sword for examination. Buffy picked up a crossbow. Hers had been lost sometime in the scuffle last night. She lifted it onto her shoulder, looking down the sight. "I have to use this." Angel looked at it, nodding.   
"It's nice." She looked at his sword.   
"A sword. How did I know you were the sword type?" Angel set the weapon back down.   
"You're going to need that tonight." Buffy told him.   
"I have to talk to you." Buffy frowned.   
"Ok. What's up?" Angel led her out of the room.   
She was reluctant to put up the crossbow. "We're coming back tomorrow night. Dawn's in another hour. We have to get back." Buffy followed him out of the library.   
"So what did you want to say?" She asked when they were walking back to the motel.   
"Giles found something; a prophecy about the plant. And us." He added.   
"Oh? Was it cryptic as ever?" Angel shook his head.   
"Not quite so cryptic that I didn't get what it meant." Buffy was quiet for a minute.   
"Why am I getting the vibe that we aren't assured a huge victory here?" Angel shoved his hands into his pockets.   
"We will win. But Buffy-" Angel stopped walking.   
"We're not coming out alive." Buffy stopped and looked at him.   
"It- it said that?" Angel nodded.   
"But they can't be sure. Come on, it's just a prophecy." Buffy sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.   
"You know, I never really considered death. I knew it was a big thing, being the slayer and all, but I felt immune when I was fighting them. I don't want to die, now that I know I don't have any more time." Buffy started to walk again, and Angel hurried to catch up with her.   
They sat in the motel room. "I stayed alive because I loved you." Buffy looked at him.   
"You've got the best pick up lines I've ever heard." She smiled thinly, trying to lighten things up.   
"How did you know? It was such a long time ago, and you never talked to me, or anything..." Angel sighed.   
"I watched you with your friends. You were so beautiful, I could swear you glowed in the sun. And you held your heart out in front of you for everyone to see- I followed you around. I saw you patrol for the first time and kill your first vampire. Then I was told to wait for you here." Buffy felt a chill crawl up her spine.   
She couldn't believe that Angel had withstood those tortures to meet her. "I don't want to go to the plant."   
"I can't believe I said that." Buffy quickly corrected herself. "I'm so scared I can't think straight. I'm not supposed to be scared." She said loudly, looking around the room for something to break.   
"It's human to be scared." Angel told her.  
"Are you scared?" Buffy looked over at him, finally sitting back down next to him on the bed.   
"Yes." Buffy seemed surprised.   
"Why?" Their voices grew hushed.   
"I don't want you to die. You've got so much life ahead of you." Buffy shook her head.   
"No. That guarantee pretty much faded away when I was called." Buffy turned to face him, as if it gave her pain.   
"Do you still love me?" Buffy paused before continuing. "I mean, I know I've changed, and I can never go back to what I was, but-"   
Angel silenced her with a finger over her lips. "You are the same person you were before." Buffy had to force herself not to shy away when he touched her cheek.   
She closed her eyes as his lips met hers. Buffy felt a tear running down her face. She pulled away, choked sobs coming from her throat. "It isn't fair! I've only just found you, and now they say it's over? That we're just going to die, game over? My whole life as a Slayer has been the worst kind of hell I can imagine. And you- you've had so much worse. Why now?"   
"I don't know. I don't have any of the answers. I'm asking myself all of that. All I know is that there's so little time left, and so much I don't know about you that I want to." Buffy wiped the tears from her cheeks.   
"Like this." Angel whispered, running a finger down the scar across her lips.   
Buffy looked down. "I got it the day I moved to Ohio. This group of vampires had some kind of a cult. They were really organized, and I hadn't met my new Watcher yet, so I was completely unprepared. I managed to find the lair they'd been hiding in and torch it, but not before a few of them followed me outside. I'd taken two of them out pretty quickly, but the third was more experienced. He knocked my stake away and had a dagger. Before I could stop him, he slashed my face. I grabbed the knife, and got it through his neck, though. Left me a wicked scar." Angel's fingers slipped under her chin, brining her face up to his.   
Gently, he tucked a strand of hair, loose from her braid behind her ear. "We should probably get some sleep." They both glanced at the clock.   
"We've only got a few hours." Angel finished, letting his hands drop.   
Buffy stared at him. "How can I sleep, knowing that all of this will be over when I wake up?" Buffy hated herself for being weak as she cried.   
Angel pulled her into his embrace, bending to kiss the tears from her face. Buffy looked up, and he was scared for a minute at the look of complete despair and hopelessness in her eyes. Angel felt her hands go to the front of his battered shirt. Her fingers deftly began to unbutton it. "Buffy, I don't think-"  
Buffy's hands moved to his face. She covered his mouth, first with her hand, then with her own. She stopped only long enough to look up at him and say "Shh."   
Their mouths met again, and Angel struggled out of his shirt. Buffy pulled back to take off her tank top before pushing Angel back onto the bed. 


	2. Facing Destiny

Malicious Reality  
CH 2 ~ Facing Destiny  
  
Comments: Yeah, yeah, Angel didn't loose his soul. But I figure Joss only made that up to have a nice little excuse to kick Angel off the show. Then he could make the spin off and earn millions more than he was already making off of BTVS. So my fic is a CWC. (Curse? What curse?)  
  
  
  
  
"Buffy. Buffy, wake up." Something was talking to her, pulling Buffy from the furthest recess of sleep.   
She'd been having a beautiful dream, and kicked the thing, turning over to try and capture it before she fully woke. Angel's cry of pain brought her to her senses. "Angel?" Her voice was groggy with sleep.   
"Are you always this agreeable when you wake up?" Angel's wry grin made her heart stop.   
"No. It's not already-" Buffy stopped as Angel nodded, parting the curtains.   
The sun was sinking below the horizon, covering everything in its hatefully soft glow. Buffy stared at the blackness, shaking her head. "It can't be. It's not enough time." Angel's face turned into a frown.   
Somehow, these words made him uneasy. "I know." He reached for her hand, dragging her from the covers.   
"But we have to go." Buffy shook her head, again grasping for time.   
"We still have time. The sun hasn't set yet." She pointed out, capturing him in a kiss tasting of longing.  
Angel couldn't bring himself to pull away. He remembered something. "I have something for you." He said, breaking their searing kiss.   
Buffy looked at him, tears in her eyes. This time, he knew she wouldn't let them fall. Mustering her voice, she asked, "What is it?"   
Angel opened one of the drawers. His hand came out clutched around a box. "Open it." He handed it to her, his voice urging.   
Buffy stared at him while opening it. She looked down, and tightly closed her eyes. It was a large silver cross, made of two separate bars of metal lying perpendicular to each other. "Oh." Was all she could bring herself to say.   
"I- I was going to give it to you when you first came. All this time-" Buffy pulled the necklace from the box.  
She took off her wooden cross- strung on a black leather thong. Angel stopped her before Buffy could replace it. "Let me." Buffy sat still as Angel pushed her hair aside, looping the chain over her head.   
He clasped the chain, and bent, kissing her neck. Buffy inhaled sharply, stiffening at first, but leaning back into him. "I don't want to leave this." Angel knew what she meant.   
"Look." Buffy pulled her eyes to the window, and they saw the last fading rays of sunshine disappear behind the horizon.   
"God, how can it be over already?" She asked quietly, knowing no response would come.  
"We've got to meet Giles and the others." Buffy nodded, but neither moved.   
"Five more minutes." Buffy pleaded, turning around to face him.   
Angel nodded slowly, mesmerized by the look in her eyes. As they began to kiss, the world slipped away, all thoughts of destiny forgotten.   
  
**  
  
Buffy and Angel ran to the library an hour late, making hurried excuses to the anxious group. "What was more important than saving the lives of hundreds?" Hannah asked testily, handing them weapons.   
"Um-" Angel struggled to think of a response.  
Buffy jumped in, a fierce look warning away questions or chiding remarks. "It was our last night, ok? We got a little caught up in the moment." Giles stammered, his statement lost in embarrassment.  
"I think Giles is trying to ask if everyone's cool with the plan." Oz said calmly, tucking two stakes into his belt.   
"Yeah." Buffy responded, following Oz's example.   
"Let's roll." Hannah's voice was steady, despite her obvious fear.  
As they filed out of the library, Angel stopped Buffy. She bit her lip, bracing herself for the goodbye. As if he'd read her thoughts, Angel said, "I'm not going to say goodbye." Buffy stared at him, her lip growing raw.  
"We're going to see each other again. I promise." It took some doing, but Buffy kept her tears in check at the empty pledge.   
After a pause to find words, to find breath to speak, Buffy agreed. "We will. I- I don't want you to be too far. Ever. If we stay close, then maybe..." Neither of them wanted to hear the end of the statement.   
Angel bent down, whispering in her ear. A last kiss, and they walked out together, each taking strength in the other. As they climbed into Oz's van, Buffy repeated his words in his ear. "I love you." And it was quiet.  
  
**  
  
The plant was silent as death. Buffy and Angel went around to the back, each taking one of the door guards and stood to wait. Hannah, Giles, and Oz had little trouble staking the vampires guarding their door, and once inside, slid behind the scenes, creeping along the far wall to free the caged humans. The vamps standing watch at the cage had their backs turned, watching the horrible machinery do its job to a man strapped down on the table. Giles and Oz staked them while Hannah broke the wooden bars keeping them inside. By now, the vampires had noticed their arrival. They raged, breaking up themselves. A total of thirty vampire minions had come to watch the show again tonight, not including the Master, Willow, and Xander, who were quite a distance from them. Hannah assumed her fighting stance, instructing her group to grab the shards from the cage to help in any way possible. The battle flared, and the human number dropped considerably. Giles and Oz joined forces, and having a better lot of freed prisoners, fared well, taking out all of their vamps. Hannah's people had almost immediately screamed and fled. All but five were dead, and they were holding back ten vamps. Oz and Giles rushed to aid her, but too late. By the time the vampires were dusted, she had been drained and dropped on the floor like a piece of garbage. Oz ordered the people to run, he and Giles followed, praying for a miracle.  
Buffy pulled back from around the corner, nodding at Angel. "They haven't run out a different exit. I think they're still getting the people out of there."   
"Right." Just then, the door swung open, and Willow and Xander frowned at them.   
"What, more naughty humans? Now can we have fun?" Willow pouted, staring up at Xander with her puppy-dog eyes.   
She cocked her head, staring at Angel. "Look, its puppy. Oh, you've been a bad dog. Naughty to run away from home like that, leaving me all worried." Buffy took no time in reacting.   
She released the trigger on her crossbow, getting Willow directly to the abdomen, as Angel effectively blocked her head. Taking her cue, Angel slashed at Xander, who growled, trying to dodge a particularly well placed blow. The two vampires had no weapons. It didn't take time for them to realize that this wasn't an ordinary fight. "No fair." Willow cried, as Buffy's bolt hit home.  
The vampire exploded in a cloud of ash. Her death made Xander fiercer. He let out a bloodcurdling howl, and lunged at Angel, grabbing for the sword. Buffy shot him in the side, trying to disable him. Angel managed to pull away the blade, getting sliced across his stomach. Buffy shot Xander again and again, missing his heart as he squirmed and fought for the sword. Finally, Angel swept the blade across his throat, cleaving the head straight off his shoulders. "Good luck getting past the Master." Xander's last bitter words disappeared on the air, as did his remains.   
"Well, that wasn't so bad." Buffy panted, approaching Angel to see how badly he was wounded.   
"No, I'm ok. The Master's coming, stay on top." He ordered gruffly.   
Again, the door swung open. Only it wasn't just the Master. Something happened that none of them planned for. Behind their leader, almost a hundred vampires stood. They had hidden somewhere in the plant, as the Master had suspected an attack. "I had no idea you'd be so prepared." The Master grinned at them.  
"But I was more so." He indicated the legions of vampires flanking him.   
"We came here to accomplish one thing." Buffy informed him, her voice growing tart with anger.   
"Killing you." Angel thrust his sword through the wrinkled vampire as hard as he could.  
The blade nearly passed through him. Only the hilt remained on their side. As he chuckled, and pulled out the blade, Buffy shot him, taking the sword from the ground as the angry vampires rushed forward. As promised, Angel stood by Buffy, taking the sword from her and getting into a fighting stance. Buffy glanced at Angel repeatedly during the fight. Vampire after vampire was dusted. She seemed to be breathing the gold dust into her lungs as much as she was getting air. Finally her crossbow ran out of bolts and was discarded. She pulled a stake from her sheath, wielding it against the crowd. But finally, the numbers overwhelmed them. For each vampire they dusted, three more seemed to replace it. The crowd of minions surged forward, sweeping them up, turning in on them, and it was over. Buffy managed to see Angel's last moment. His eyes were fixed on her, and she heard him call for her before his remains flew the ground, mingling with those of the slain. Buffy felt her life slip away, and she prayed that it wasn't the last time she would see Angel again.   
  
**  
  
Giles and Oz came back, giving out crosses and holy water to the surviving humans. They waited for Buffy and Angel to return, refusing to face the facts that the prophecy had been brutally correct. They waited long after the sun had rose, and only after the sun had again set did they go back to the scene to find Buffy's body.  
Giles felt bile rise in his throat when he saw the festering corpse. Around it, tiny traces of dust could be seen. Oz collected the Master's bones while Giles moved Buffy's body into the factory. When the work was finally done, they looked back at the abandoned plant. "Go ahead." Giles nodded to Oz, who held a red metal jug with a long funnel-shaped nose.   
Oz nodded solemnly, and began pouring the gasoline around the building, and emptied it inside, throwing the empty container in as well. Oz lit a match from a pack in his hand, and threw it onto the damp trail. It caught fire immediately, spreading along the gas. Giles couldn't watch the flaming building. The day had been saved, but at the cost of three brave people. He turned away, ready to get inside the vehicle. "Wait." Oz told him, staring intently into the flames.   
"Do you see that?" Giles turned back to the plant.   
Inside the building, the flames roared. But beyond the wall of leaping crimson flame, two figures rushed to meet. Oz and Giles watched their passionate embrace. "Buffy-" Giles began, hurrying to the door.  
Oz held him back. "What are you doing? She's alive, Buffy's inside..." The ex-watcher trailed off, staring helplessly.   
"No. She's finally at peace." Giles nodded his head after a minute of thought.   
"Yes. I suppose you're right." They turned away from the scene, just missing the figures as they disappeared. 


End file.
